World Boxing Council president Don Jose Sulaiman has commended Filipino journalist/judge Rey Danseco for his performance in the title eliminator between Juanito Rubilllar and former world champion Omar Nino but has criticized Mexican judge Herminio Cuevas for his lopsided 118-111 scorecard in favor of Nino.

In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports, Don Jose said the Mexican judge “was wrong” although he said he never likes to talk about judging. He said “I was very surprised” about his scorecard although he conceded that the fight was very close and could have gone either way.

However, Sulaiman conceded that Rubillar “made the fight in the last six rounds. The other guy (Nino) went backwards and backwards while Rubillar was pressuring, pressuring and throwing punches.” Sulaiman said the judges gave it to Rubillar and “I accept what the judges say.”

Sulaiman who had earlier indicated he was upset over Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde’s insistence on taking Danseco who is a close friend to Mexico as a judge to, as Elorde pointed out, “protect the interests of the Filipino,” eventually told us he was “very happily surprised” over the judging of Danesco who also appointed to work an international flyweight championship fight “and also performed very well.”

Sulaiman revealed that he spoke to all the judges before the fights and said he told them “once the bell rings there is no nationality, only the colors of the trunks of the fighters.”